Revelations of Sparx
by Siludia
Summary: What if Bloom wasn't the only survivor of the destruction of Sparx? What if she had a cousin who'd been missing since the witches were defeated? Set after Season 3, slightly AU and OOC. Canon pairings  BxS, SxB, FxH, MxR, TxT, LxN


**Chapter One - Revelations**

"Be careful, then." Sky sighed as he lost _another_ argument with Bloom. "I don't like you being defenceless above the surface while you visit with Daphne. Why can't she come to the surface?" He asked one more time.

"I told you, Sky, Daphne can't stay above the surface of the lake long. She lost a lot of power when she helped me regain the Dragonfire and she's still recouping after nearly two years. I barely get 10 minutes with her when she comes to me, and that's only if I go to the lake and she comes to the surface. When she visits in my dreams or at Alphea, it's even shorter these days. Barely enough time to say hello, let alone visit." Sky dropped his head, knowing he'd lost. "You can come with me and guard me, if that will make you feel better?" Bloom ducked down to meet his gaze from where she was sat on his lap.

"I can't, I have class… Do you mind if one of the others goes with you? I _really _don't like you being on your own, even if Baltor is gone. Who knows what else is out there?" Sky spread his hands beseechingly.

"And with my habit of getting in deadly peril at every turn…" Bloom teased, laughing when Sky nodded seriously.

"Exactly!"

"Of course I don't mind if one of the others comes with me, they're all my friends too. And how can I visit with my sister knowing you're worrying yourself sick about me and failing your class?" She grinned as Sky looked up. "One problem." He frowned. "Don't the others all have class, too?"

"Nope. Well, all us Red Fountain boys, even Riven for once, have class this afternoon, but Nabu is visiting at the moment, he misses Layla, so I'm sure he'd be happy to accompany you." Bloom nodded, and stood from where she was sat in Sky's lap.

"Well, then, let's go find Nabu, then you can go to class in peace, and I can visit my sister." Sky grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the school lifts.

* * *

"Thanks for coming with me today, Nabu. This way I avoid an argument with Sky _and _a lecture from Codatorta about causing his students to fail classes." Nabu laughed.

"Has that actually happened?" He stepped into the lift beside her.

"Oh, yeah. I was in his office, translation: personal armoury, for about an hour before Miss F bailed me out. At the time, I had no idea what he was going on about, and Sky wouldn't explain it to me. Brandon told me later that Sky was, and I quote, 'mooning over me in Dragon-Wrangling and nearly got toasted'." Nabu was leaning against the wall of the lift laughing quietly, and Bloom was smiling widely. "You'd think having a Dragonfire Guardian fire-faerie for a girlfriend would make him _more_ cautious around Dragons, not less." She stepped out of the lift onto the top level of the school.

"Um, Bloom, I know this is the best place for you guys to take off to fly, but I don't have wings." Nabu shuddered at the grin Bloom gave him.

"We're travelling by Dragonfire, Nabu. The entrance to Daphne's cave is on the other side of the lake, and this is the easiest way to avoid the witches of Cloud Tower – they avoid the Dragonfire, and therefore me, like it's the plague ever since Icy, Darcy and Stormy found out how dangerous it is." She led him over to a small tiled area near the edge of the gardens. "You're not afraid of heights, are you?" He shook his head, then gaped and took a step back as a massive dragon made entirely of fire wrapped itself around Bloom. "Just grab on – it won't burn you – and we'll be there soon." Nabu nodded silently, and grabbed part of the dragon's mane.

* * *

Less than 10 minutes later, Nabu was settling gently, relieved, on the ground with a book, while Bloom waded into the lake.

'Well, I'll probably get back to Red Fountain in time for dinner at least, although whether or not I can actually eat... Sky owes me for this,' he thought as he remembered the stomach-churning feeling of swooping through the air with nothing beneath his feet and a tenuous grasp on a figure made of fire. A journey that would normally take about 30 minutes on a Levi-Bike had been reduced to about 5 minutes. 'If I wasn't afraid of heights before, I am now!' he smiled as Bloom turned back to make sure he was ok before closing her eyes and slumping, although she remained on her feet.

Bloom floated swiftly forward to the entrance to Daphne's cave.

"Daphne?" She called. "Anyone home?" she smiled as Daphne appeared, and moved forward for a hug, before realising that she was about as solid as a ghost. "How are you today?" She settled for asking, before moving over to 'sit' in a chair Daphne provided for her visits. Daphne's cave was sparsely furnished; after all, nymph's did not really sleep, having just a few seats and a couch for Daphne to rest on.

"I'm alright, my dear. Just a little tired today." Bloom frowned.

"That's funny, because it looks – and sounds – like you've been crying. Did something happen?"

"No, my child, just memories making me sad. Perhaps someday I will tell you all. But not today. I am more interested in how you are doing." She smiled as she leant back against her couch. Bloom smiled.

"You mean you're more interested in the soap-opera gossip of Alphea and Red Fountain? Or are you talking about how amusing it is to watch Miss Griffin's reactions to her freshmen continually getting caught out by faeries?"

"Anything and everything you can think to tell me, child. I miss life in a way none of the other nymphs can, because I was originally human." Daphne looked aside, then quickly back at Bloom, whose smile slipped from her face.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk, Daphne? I'm here for you, just as you are here for me, and I would like to be able to help you at least a little. You gave your life for me. There's nothing I wouldn't do in thanks." Bloom watched helplessly as tears welled in Daphne's eyes, unable to comfort her.

"I just… I miss my life, Bloom. It was a wonderful life, and I lost everything when I died – which was before I saved you, so don't you go feeling guilty for it! I was a nymph before I hid you on Earth. My _only _regret is that I was unable to find my son and send him with you, but it was not to be." Bloom gasped.

"You have a son? Daphne, I didn't even know you were married." Bloom floated over to stand in front of Daphne, reaching out futilely to touch her sister's clenched hands. "Please tell me?" Bloom begged.

"I was married to a wonderful man – a soldier in the Sparx army. He attended Red Fountain on a scholarship from our family at the same time as I was at Alphea, and graduated second in his year. He was supposed to become my bodyguard, but we married 6 months later, and had a beautiful little boy, Oritel II, just over a year after our wedding, at about the same time as you were born. Mother and Father were so pleased, even though he wasn't royalty, and I thought that I had found my fairytale. Ori and you were only 6 months old when the Ancestral Witches attacked Sparx. I died getting to a ship with him to give him to his father. I don't know what happened to him after that. I tried to find him after I sent you to Earth, but there just wasn't enough time." She sobbed, hiding her face in her hands. "I've tried so many times to find out if his father got him to the ship, but all I know is that my husband died trying to stop the witches. Little Ori wasn't with him, though, which has sustained my hope." Bloom cried silently, staying beside her sobbing sister. "It's been nearly 20 years Bloom. I'm never going to find him." She doubled over.

"Daphne, oh Daphne, don't lose hope. Between you and me, how can we fail to find him – and we _will_ find him. I'll use every last resource at my disposal, including the fact that I am the Crown Princess of Sparx – at least until Ori is found. And just think, the Crown Princesses of Solaria, Tides and Melody are some of my best friends, not to mention the Crown Prince of Eraklyion being my boyfriend. I'm sure we can find him!" Daphne smiled quietly at Bloom.

"I was so afraid to tell you – what would you think of me leaving my son behind to save you, what would you say about someone else being so close to me when you had no other family. I should have known that you wouldn't hate me, but I just didn't want you to leave me, too." She sighed. "It's nearly dark, and I think your friend is getting hungry, Bloom. It's time to leave." Bloom nodded.

"Yeah, Nabu is probably starving by now, but Sky wouldn't let me come out here without someone to protect my body." She turned to the entrance of the cave. "Come to the surface and see me off?" Daphne smiled and swam forwards. Speeding back to her body, Bloom gasped and stumbled forwards as she regained her balance after floating for so long. Nabu reached to steady her, trying to stay dry, but Daphne reached her first, floating half out of the water, wrapping her arms tightly around Bloom's waist and burying her head in her shoulder.

"Please, find him." Bloom tightened her hug, then kissed her cheek as Daphne faded back into the lake.

"Was that Daphne?" Nabu questioned as he helped Bloom out of the lake.

"Yeah, that was Daphne, formally the Crown Princess of Sparx, Ninth Nymph of Magix, and my older sister." Bloom sighed and looked longingly at the surface of the lake before stepping away from Nabu's steadying grip, stretching, and calling the Dragonfire back to transport them.

"Is everything alright?" Nabu asked as he clung blindly to the side of the Dragon speeding through the air. "She looked upset."

"She was. I don't want to tell the story too many times, though, so do you mind waiting till tomorrow when everyone can be there?" Nabu shook his head, keeping his eyes tightly closed. "Nabu, we're coming in to land, I'll let you know when it's safe to open your eyes" He nodded, and clung tighter to the Dragon's mane. A few moments later, he felt Bloom's hand on his elbow, and he opened his eyes just as she gently guided him to solid ground. He looked up to see Bloom hovering in front of the Dragon, whispering and caressing it's head before it surrounded her and disappeared. She gently floated back to the ground.

"I thought faeries couldn't fly without their wings?" Nabu questioned.

"I'm not exactly an ordinary faerie," Bloom smiled and led the way from the garden to the mess hall, with Nabu following silently, hoping he could keep his dinner down.

Entering the mess hall, Bloom led the way over to the seat Sky and Brandon had kept empty for him. Sinking gratefully into it, and propping his head in his hands, he startled as Bloom dropped her hands on his shoulders, then sighed in gratitude as warmth flooded through him and calmed his rolling stomach.

"Don't worry, man, the first time Bloom made me travel by Dragonfire I couldn't even walk when we landed." The others nodded in agreement with Brandon. "It hasn't gotten much better since, so I'm pretty impressed that you were walking unaided." Bloom laughed.

"He closed his eyes, like I always tell you to." She pecked Sky on the cheek as she settled into Helia's lap, as he was the only one to have finished eating. "You missed the rose, here," she pointed to a spot on his sketch pad and he grinned at her. "Finish your dinner, Sky, I'll wait till you've eaten then you can walk me out," He nodded and smiled and Helia shifted her to the side so he could see around her. "Where's Riven?"

"On a date with Musa. When did you all travel by Dragonfire?" Nabu asked everyone.

"Bloom often brings us _and_ our bikes back after we've been visiting the girls so that we aren't out after curfew. We still haven't figured out quite how." She smiled.

"If you ever need to get here from Tides, though, best to call Stella, because the Ring of Solaria can handle inter-realm and interplanetary travel better than Dragonfire. Last time I tried to transport Sky home from Eraklyion, I singed his eyebrows and the ends of his hair." Bloom blushed as everyone, including Sky, laughed. "Hey, I fixed it!"

"Eventually. Ready to go?" Sky asked as he put his glass down.

"Yeah, except, what time do you lot all finish class tomorrow?" Brandon spoke up.

"I have the last class, I get out at 4 pm. Why?" She smiled.

"The girls and I will meet you in your and Sky's room then, cause I need some help – and before you groan in dismay, it's not Universe-saving help, just normal friend help. We'll just stay for dinner before heading back." Brandon and Sky nodded and the others all agreed to be there.

"Is something wrong, Bloom?" Sky questioned as she waved goodbye to Saladin and Cordatorta.

"Just... Something Daphne said. I'll explain everything tomorrow, I kinda only want to tell it once." He nodded and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, placing a kiss on her forehead.

"Well, you know where I am if you need a hug, and like usual, the guys won't say anything if you head back this way after curfew to sleep, ok. I'm here if you need me." She smiled up and him, then reached up to kiss him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as he lifted her up to his height.

"Thanks Sky," she sighed then stepped back to transform.

"No more Dragonfire?" he teased.

"I need some time to think, so I'll head back the slow way. I have an hour and a half before I need to be back at Alphea, so I have time." He nodded, and watched her fly off. "And stop checking out my butt," She yelled back. He laughed and headed back inside.

* * *

Flying over Alphea, Bloom was surprised to see Musa sitting on the tower. Changing course to land on the tower rather than on Stella's balcony, she heard the sound of Musa's sobs.

"Hey, Musa honey, what's wrong?" She asked as she let her Winx go and returned to normal, sitting down beside Musa and hugging her. "Nabu said you were on a date with Riven?"

"He... he broke up with me, Bloom." She gasped and hugged Musa tighter "He said something stupid about me being a princess and him being an orphaned street rat... said he wasn't good enough for me." She turned and hid her face in Bloom's shoulder. "I tried to tell him, you know. I like him, and no matter his past, he got accepted to Red Fountain and he's one of the best in his grade and I l-love him and I don't want to break up and he didn't listen..." She cried harder.

"Shh, sweetie, I'm sure it's just a Riven thing, you know, the negatives overwhelming the positives for him. Give Riven a day or two to calm down and forget that you're royalty, and then talk to him, hey?" Musa nodded, but she was still crying. "Are you going to be up to seeing him tomorrow? Because I need some help and I organised for us all to go over to Red Fountain so our resident heroes didn't feel left out."

"What's up, Bloom. What's happened now?" Musa had stopped crying and was just looking worried now.

"Don't worry, it's nothing catastrophic for once," they laughed lightly. "I just need some good, old-fashioned, _normal_, help. Now come on, let's clean your face," she conjured a damp cloth from thin air and handed it to Musa, "and go in and tell the girls so that we can stop Stella killing Riven when Brandon tells her – assuming Riven has gone back to RF." Musa nodded.

"Bloom, if –" She stopped and Bloom turned back to her.

"Hey, I'll call Sky, or Flora can call Helia at about 9, and if he's not back, I'll go and get him and make sure he's not in trouble for breaking curfew, ok?" Musa nodded, relieved.

"Thanks Bloom, it's just... he has enough to deal with, without worrying about punishment for being late again." She nodded, and wrapped an arm around Musa shoulders to guide her back to their rooms for a girl's night in.

* * *

"Bloom, Helia said Riven hasn't gotten back to their room, yet." Flora's quiet voice sounded from across the room.

"Alright, stand back a bit, I'll have to teleport since I don't actually know where he is." Flora nodded, and crossed to the other side of the room, shielding her plants carefully. Bloom sighed, closed her eyes, and focused on Riven. Feeling that she had a good image of him in her head, she pushed out, causing flames to billow around her, and when they died down, she was gone and there was a black scorch mark on the floor.

"Next time, I'll make sure she leaves from the balcony," Flora sighed, spelling the floor clean and heading for the bathroom to get ready for bed. "At least Griselda spelled our floors fire-proof after the last time".

* * *

Bloom winced before she opened her eyes, hoping that she hadn't set anything on fire, before realising she had appeared knee deep in the lake. "Typical." She muttered, disgusted.

"Come to get me for hurting Musa?" Riven's mocking voice sounded from the shadows on the shore. She sighed, wrinkling her nose, and waded out of the lake, spelling herself dry as soon as she could.

Pretty much everyone bar Brandon, Sky, and Helia thought that she and Riven couldn't stand one another. I mean, sure, the others trusted them to watch each others backs, but they were extremely careful not to leave them in a safe room together, alone. Even Miss Faragonda, Miss Griffin, Saladin and Cordatorta used to go out of their way to keep them separated. They had nearly had a collective heart attack the time Avalon had assigned them to work together while they were searching for Baltor, and were extremely surprised when they were the only ones to come back both unharmed and with information. Truth was, Riven and Bloom fought together for fun and stress-relief. After all, they were both red-heads with quick tempers, who better to take their frustrations out on than the other person who understood? Bloom was just nicer than Riven usually, otherwise they were a great deal alike. They got on just fine when they wanted to, and Riven had actually stayed with Bloom and her parents in Gardenia last school holidays, rather than going to camp like usual. He had taught Bloom how to defend herself without Winx in return for his stay, and had helped out in the flower shop where he could, although he was more prone to breaking things for Bloom to fix than anything else, which she got a good laugh out of. She even carried a pale red scimitar-styled phantoblade that matched Riven's wherever she went now. It had come in handy a time or two in the battle against Baltor, not that she ever let her friends see her use it – there really wasn't time to stop for 20 questions most of the times it had come in handy. She sighed as she watched her friend wallow in sadness he had caused himself.

"Actually, I'm just here to get you back to RF before curfew." She stated brightly. He laughed bitterly.

"Sure. And I'm just waiting here for my fairy princess to sweep me up and ride away into the sunset with me. Pull the other one, Bloom." She walked over and sat carefully beside him.

"I should never have introduced you to Earth fairy-tales. Your sarcasm has deteriorated dreadfully. Regardless of whether you and Musa are dating or not, you are my _friend_, Riven. I'm going to support your decisions the same way I support Musa's. I may tell you that I don't agree with you, and that I think you're being stupid, but I'm not going to stop being your friend." He dropped his head back against the tree he was leaning on.

"I hurt Musa." She nodded.

"Yep. But you're hurting as well, and I'm not going to ignore that. Wanna talk about it?" He nodded wearily. She pulled out her phone and dialled Sky. "Hey, love, can you text me and let me know when Cordatorta starts checking beds? Riven and I won't be back before curfew." She hung up after Sky promised. "Two more seconds, Riven." She then dialled Flora. "Hey sweetie, I'm probably not going to be back to Alphea tonight, I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow, ok? Of course I'll look after him, Flora. Good night." She hung back up and put her phone in her pocket.

"Can you do that – just not go back? Won't you get in trouble? And where are you going to sleep?" Riven looked at her instead of the ground beneath his raised knees for the first time that night.

"Miss F and Saladin probably know what's happening, but after everything, they're kinda letting it all slide, so as long as I don't get caught, I don't have to worry about curfew. And what kind of question is that, I'll sleep with Sky like usual, of course." Riven laughed.

"Man, wish I was in Brandon's place tonight." Then winced as Bloom punched his shoulder.

"I don't do orgies or exhibitions." She growled.

"Ok, sorry, my mistake," he raised his hands in surrender and she smiled.

"It's ok." She settled on the ground beside him, resting her head back against his shoulder, watching the moon quietly while Riven decided whether he actually wanted to talk or not.

"She's a princess, Bloom. The _Crown_ Princess of Melody. And I'm a street rat pick-pocket who's mother was probably a whore. There's no way we can stay together outside of Alphea and Red Fountain. I thought if we end it now, maybe we can be back to being friends before we finish school. That way I don't lose her entirely." He dropped his head sideways to rest on hers.

"Riven, I'd name you an adopted Prince of Sparx if I thought it would help, but you're never going to believe you're good enough for Musa." He sighed in agreement. "Maybe you should concentrate on whether _she _thinks you're good enough for her." She clasped his hand in hers.

"You keep telling me that, but it's so hard. My mother _abandoned_ me, Bloom. Just up and walked off a ship from god-knows where and left me there. I don't even know what planet I was born on, or who my father is, just that I wasn't good enough for either of them." Bloom sat up and held his face in her hands, meeting his eyes.

"And yet, you are the only person in over a century to get a Headmaster-funded scholarship to Red Fountain. You're grades are consistently above average, despite the fact that you regularly miss class, barely listen when you do attend, and spent half of your first year under a witch's spell. You are so good, that Saladin himself is thinking of recruiting you as a Dragon-handler or hand-to-hand combat teacher when you graduate, despite your lax attitude to attending classes, and that _never_ happens. I know your life hasn't been a bed of roses, Riven, but despite all the shit life has thrown at you, you've kept your head, and survived. Don't throw away a chance to be happy because you think you're not good enough." Riven quietly smiled at her.

"You really think her family would let her be with me? No matter how good I am, I'll never be good enough for them." She sighed.

"My sister married her bodyguard and bore the heir to the throne before the destruction of Sparx, and my parents were never happier for her. Maybe you underestimate Musa's family."

"Daphne really married a commoner?" Bloom nodded distractedly as her phone beeped.

"Bedtime, sweetheart. Sorry, we don't have time to actually travel, not to mention I have no idea how to sneak inside in time for you to get to your room, so inter-dimensional it is. Hold on tight, and hope for the best." She stood, pulled him to his feet, and wrapped her arms tightly about his waist, while he gripped hers, squeezing his eyes shut. A moment of intense heat later, he was hovering a foot above his bed, and when Bloom let go he swore as he bounced backwards, nearly falling off the bed as he flipped her the bird. Helia smothered a laugh from his desk, and waved as Bloom slipped quietly out the door and across the hall to Sky and Brandon's room.

"Hey, how'd it go?" Brandon asked quietly as he slipped under the covers.

"Stella told you, huh?" Brandon nodded and winced. "She's out for blood?" He cringed again. "Oh well, Riven better get used to hiding in wardrobes for a while. I think I might have gotten through to him, a bit at least, but I suppose we'll see. If nothing else, I managed to convince him that I wasn't going to stop being his friend any more than I was going to stop being Musa's." She told them as she slipped into one of Sky's old shirts behind the wardrobe door. Walking across the room, she slipped beneath the covers Sky was holding open for her, and curled into his side, snuggling closer as he rolled onto his back and wrapped an arm around her, pulling her to him.

"Goodnight, lovebirds. Don't let me hear any kinky noises from over there," Brandon teased before laughing when Sky threw his pillow at him. "Great, I needed an extra pillow." He rolled over to face away from them, stuffing the pillow under his head as they got comfortable and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Bloom groaned as someone shook her awake the next morning. "Leave me alone, I don't want breakfast," she buried her face further into her pillow, before blushing at the sound of Brandon, Helia, Riven and Sky laughing.

"I suppose I should be grateful that Timmy and Nabu aren't here, should I?" Bloom muttered.

"Actually, pixie, you should probably be grateful that as soon as we came in to get him and Brandon up, Sky pulled your shirt down to cover your cute pink underwear," Riven laughed as he ducked the fireball that came shooting towards him. "Anyway, don't you have class this morning?" She nodded.

"Yep, magical philosophy, with Avalon. He won't mind if I'm a little late, so why don't I come down and get breakfast with you, then pop back to Alphea?" Sky smiled and kissed her good morning.

"Apparently, we're getting predictable, because a burst of sunlight woke me and Brandon up this morning before Riven and Helia had the chance, and he now has a lovely lump on his head from where this landed." Bloom half-laughed, half-moaned as she rolled from the bed, where she would have ended up on the floor if not for Helia's quick catch, and reached into the bag to find toiletries, a change of clothes and underwear, and some rather heavy shoes, which is probably what hit Brandon.

"Or it could just be that I told Flora I wouldn't be back last night." She smiled at the pouting Brandon. "Come 'ere schnookums, and I'll heal your boo-boo." Bloom teased as the others laughed. Brandon growled at her but walked over and ducked down so she could reach his forehead, sighing a moment later when a burst of heat soothed his headache. "Bathrooms mine first" She yelled as she darted past Sky and closed the door in his face. He smirked.

"Nothing I haven't seen before, faerie." Then followed her in, locking the door behind him.

"Too much information, Sky. I do NOT want to think about my almost-a-sister like that!" Laughter followed him out the door across the hall to Riven and Helia's room. "I'm going to use your bathroom this morning, guys. Who knows how long they'll be." He walked into the bathroom, before ducking his head back out the door, "and unless you want a free show, I'd head back over this way." Helia and Riven shook their heads, then darted from the room as a low moan sounded from the bathroom.

* * *

"Well, that got rid of them," Bloom laughed as she heard the door slam after her moan, ducking her head back underneath the running water. Sky laughed with her from the sink, where he was shaving.

"They do think of you as a little sister, so it's no surprise, really, is it?"

"Yeah," she spluttered from a mouthful of shampoo, "But do they really think we have time for that before breakfast?" She rinses the suds from her hair, then stepped out and wrapped a towel around her, spelling her hair dry and silky as she went. Dropping a kiss on Sky's freshly shaved jaw, she winked. "Shower's all yours," and walked back into the dorm room to dress. A few minutes later she was knocking on Helia and Riven's door. "It's safe to come back now, Brandon. You can come and get your books and weapons."

Sitting on his bed, she watched delighted as Sky grabbed his things and sorted out his side of the room before putting his shirt on.

"What _are_ you doing, Bloom?" Nabu asked from the doorway, where he had joined them moments ago.

"Enjoying the view," she smirked, then laughed when Sky actually blushed. "Come on, blondie, I'm hungry and I have to be at Alphea in 45 minutes." She ducked behind Brandon as he pulled on a shirt.

"Blondie?" He cried, and grabbed her from behind Brandon, slinging her over his shoulder and heading for the door.

"I could call you Goldilocks?" She questioned distractedly as she admired the new view her position offered her. Riven rolled his eyes and grabbed the door to the mess hall for Sky, letting it swing back and almost hit Brandon before he caught it. Sky dropped her into a seat and sat beside her as everyone bar the freshman's ignored their loud entrance. "Ooh, head spin." She sighed and dropped her head into her folded arms on the table.

"You're here early this morning, Bloom," the boys stood at attention while Bloom propped her chin in her hands to hold her head up.

"Just stopped by for a quick breakfast before heading back to Alphea for class, Cordatorta." She smiled.

"Sure you did," he grunted, before walking away. The boys sighed and sat down, grabbing food from the plates left on the table.

"Man, being late to breakfast is crap! Next time, don't take so long in the shower, faerie." Brandon moaned as he surveyed the skimpy offerings.

"Stop whining, schnookums, or we'll start to think you should have been enrolled at Alphea instead of Red Fountain," Riven growled as the others laughed.

"Like you can talk about being enrolled at Alphea, Hair-Gel" Brandon retorted before returning to devouring his food.

"Hey, I'll have you know my hair stands up this way entirely naturally, Squire-boy" Riven growled.

"Just like your ego, then, huh Riv?" Bloom asked, before turning back to Sky "and on that note, I think I should probably head back to Alphea." Sky nodded, and ducked down to kiss her goodbye, before returning to defend his meal from Brandon's invading fork. Riven spluttered as she patted him on the head, before she leaned down to kiss Helia's cheek. "I'll see you all this afternoon." She turned to leave.

"You're not going to go before the rest of us get our kisses, are you?" Brandon called through a mouthful of food.

Circling the table, she groaned. "I'm glad I've already eaten, or I would have just lost my appetite," Leaning over to kiss his cheek, she tapped his other cheek lightly in reprimand for his manners. Laughing as Nabu puckered up and Timmy blushed hotly when she reached them, she waved back as she headed towards the teacher's table and the doors to the balcony. "Saladin, the rest of the girls will be back with me after class this afternoon, so don't worry if you notice us teleporting." Saladin nodded and Cordatorta shook his head.

"Guess I should keep the boys away from the Dragons today, then?" Cordatorta growled while Bloom laughed.

Standing on the balcony, Bloom quickly teleported to Alphea's grounds, rushing to her first class in the garden with Avalon. Reaching the class at the same time as he did, she laughed breathlessly and flopped on the ground between Musa and Flora, squeezing Musa's hand surreptitiously in reassurance.

"Glad you could join us Bloom," Avalon nodded his head, smiling at her, then turned back to the rest of the class. "Today..." Bloom sighed and settled in to listen.

* * *

"Alright everyone, that's it for this morning. Please head for your next class. Bloom, may I have a word?" She nodded, and stood quickly, walking over to her professor.

"Is something wrong, professor?" He shook his head.

"No, no, I just wanted to make sure everything was ok? You were almost late to class this morning, which is unlike you, and you looked like you were having trouble paying attention?" Bloom sighed.

"Actually Professor, I could use your help, I think." He nodded. "Do you know of a way to track or trace the Dragonfire?" He looked at her, shocked.

"Did something happen, Bloom? I realise I am not your most trusted teacher after Darkar and his manipulations, but..." She shook her head, quickly.

"No, professor, I trust you. After all, if not for you, no one would have know I had been taken to Shadowhaunt. No, nothing has happened, it's just... Daphne, my older sister..."

"The Nymph?" He looked at her, shocked.

"Yes, before she became a nymph she was my older sister and the Crown Princess of Sparx. She lives at the bottom of Lake Chrysalis, and I visit her regularly. I was there yesterday afternoon, after class, and she told me that the day Sparx was attacked, she hurried to get her son to a ship off the planet, but she hasn't been able to find him since. I wanted to try and find him, and I thought that the Dragonfire might be the best way, since it is so unique?" She looked up at him as he gazed over the trees in thought.

"It's not a bad idea, actually. The problem is that any spells or rituals that can be used to track the Dragonfire were hidden many years ago, and wiped from all records, so that the Ancestral Witches could not use them." She sighed and nodded. "That does not mean they do not exist, Bloom, just that they will be difficult to find." He reached out and lifted her chin from where it had fallen against her chest. "I will begin the search immediately, if that is your wish?" She stared at him.

"You would do that?" He nodded, quietly waiting, before yelping as she grabbed his hand and dragged him across the campus, through the halls before they suddenly stopped. "I'm not really supposed to know about this, but then again, I'm not really supposed to exist either, you know, faerie from Earth, last surviving member of Sparx – although I won't be able to say that anymore, but anyway, prepare to be astounded... and to keep a secret." With that, she reached out to a solid wall, and opened a door. He gaped as she dragged him inside. "Concarda?" She called. "Are you in here?"

A pixie fluttered to a stop in front of them. "Bloom. Why have you brought Professor Avalon here?"

"I need help, and he offered, and now even though he doesn't know it yet, he could use your help, so I had to bring him here, because you can't leave here, and anyway, the best books in the school are in this library." The pixie nodded, and Bloom turned to him. "Professor, this is Concarda, Alphea's Guardian Pixie. Can you please explain everything I told you, and then ask her to help you? I have another class in a minute." She smiled, and before he could answer, she was out the door. Avalon turned back to Concarda, and began to explain what he knew.

* * *

Bloom felt like the day had just dragged on forever. She wanted to find her cousin, damn it, not learn how to look like Stella. Paladian had taken one look at her as she walked into his classroom and waved her back out, telling her that he needed everything in one piece for his next class and if things were so bad to go and find an empty room. She had taken his advice, heading over to Red Fountain and working out in the seniors gym for an hour before going back to Alphea in time for another shower before class. Now she was staring at the clock on WizGiz's wall, waiting for the moment she could head back to Sky and tell everyone what was happening.

After what felt like an eternity, but was in reality only about an hour, WizGiz let them go, and Bloom flew from the room back to her dorm to pack a bag for herself, before realising that she only needed a change of clothes because she had left her toothbrush and toiletries in Sky and Brandon's bathroom. Laughing at herself, she settled in to wait for the girls to catch up.

"Why are you in such a hurry, Bloom. I thought we weren't meeting the guys until 4? There's still an hour, and Stella is going to transport us so that we can get back in time to meet curfew." Bloom blushed as Techna asked.

"Well, Brandon has a class that doesn't let out till 4, but Nabu doesn't attend class, and some of the others don't have the same schedule, so I figured we could go over early. At the very least, I'm more likely to get work done over there than I am over here." Techna sighed as she gathered together her things and joined the others, who had known what Bloom would say and had therefore already prepared, in Stella's room.

"'_Transportus Red Fountain-us'"_ Stella yelled as she wielded her staff, and in a glare of bright light they disappeared from her room to appear in the reception room. Stella, Flora, Musa, Techna and Layla looked around, interested, as Bloom led them to the dormitory section and headed down the hallway to Sky and Brandon's room, pulling out a lock picking set to open the door.

"How do you know your way around here so well, Bloom?" Musa asked as they stopped behind her, watching.

"I've been spending a fair amount of time here lately, even when Sky and Brandon are in class. It's quieter here – Saladin and Cordatorta just leave me alone if they see me." The girls nodded.

"Why do you need so much quiet, though. I mean, you've barely even been sleeping at Alphea?" Stella asked.

"I just... even though he was evil and planning on destroying the universe, Baltor was the last real link I had to my family – he was created using Dragonfire even. And I found that and then lost it so quickly that I didn't really have time to adjust. Not to mention the fact that I never get any peace at Alphea these days, between the freshmen and classes. And besides, the Senior's gym is always virtually empty during the day, because the boys are generally in classes or using the areas closer to their classes, so I can work out my frustrations on a punching bag without problems." Everyone bar Techna nodded.

"You could hurt yourself using those, Bloom. There are special techniques involved." Bloom nodded as she finally got the door open.

"I know. Helia took me through how to use all the equipment properly, because my style of fighting is most similar to his, and Nabu is going to join me before he heads back to Tides and show me how he incorporates his magic into his workout, so that I can have a go at the same." Techna nodded, satisfied.

"On that note," Musa turned back from her perusal of the room to Bloom, who was throwing aside her picks. "Who taught you to pick locks without magic, and can they teach me? And why not just use magic? It's not like we'd get in trouble for it around here."

"I taught her," Riven spoke up from the doorway, avoiding meeting Musa's eyes, "And she has to pick locks without magic to get better at it, so I banned her from using her magic at Red Fountain. As often as she breaks into our rooms and the gym, by the time you guys head home she'll be all set for a life of crime." Bloom laughed lightly, and blew Riven a kiss.

"Stop, you're making me blush," Riven rolled his eyes.

"Who's making my girlfriend blush, and _how_?" Sky's amused voice sounded from behind Riven, who quickly moved out of the way when Bloom threw herself at him. Wrapping her arms tightly around Sky's neck, she threw a thanks over her shoulder at Riven. Hefting his bag with one hand, and her up to his hip with the other, where she wrapped her legs around his waist, Sky walked her back into his room, then dropped her on the bed. "I need to change, and then I'll join you. Why don't you and your partner-in-crime go and raid the kitchen for afternoon tea, hmm? By the time you get back after hiding from the cook, Brandon will probably have escaped." Bloom laughed and grabbed Riven's arm to drag him down the hall.

"Maybe we won't get caught this time." She yelled back.

"Get caught at what, Bloom?" She jumped as Cordatorta barked at her from the end of the hall.

"Stealing from the kitchen" she sang as she ducked past him, still dragging Riven as he face-palmed, while Cordatorta laughed in surprise at her honesty behind them, before heading down the hallway.

"Prince Sky," Sky stood at attention. "Faragonda and Saladin have agreed that the girls will be staying here tonight, as Avalon has explained everything to her. A room has been set up down the hall for their use." Sky nodded and watched as Cordatorta left, completely ignoring the 5 girls sprawled over the furniture in his room.

"Never thought I'd see the day," he murmured as he headed for the bathroom with a change of clothes. "And what has Avalon explained? Anyway," Sky spoke up, "Helia should be in his room by now, it's the one opposite, Flora," he saw her blush and nod before he closed the door. Breathing deeply he could still smell Bloom's shampoo in the air from that morning. "Staying down the hall, my ass. She hasn't spent the night in her own bed since Baltor was destroyed, and Cordatorta knows it." He muttered as he slipped out of his uniform and into some jeans and a tee. Opening the door, he was unsurprised to see Helia in his desk chair, although he would secretly admit to surprise at seeing the normally painfully shy Flora sharing it with him. Nodding hello, he dropped backwards onto his bed, yelping as the lock-picks Bloom had dropped earlier dug into his hips.

"Sky," Techna began tentatively, pausing when he rolled his head to look at her where she was perched on the edge of Brandon's desk, "when did Bloom and Riven become such close friends?" He sighed.

"They've been friends since before Darcy spelled him, although obviously that caused as many problems for her as it did for the rest of his friends, namely us. They became quite close last year, though, when Riven stayed with Bloom on Earth during the break from school. He taught her how to fight with a phantoblade, and he had Cordatorta assess her skills so that she could be provided with one at RF's expense. Then, ever since Baltor was destroyed, she has been spending more and more time here, where there are no expectations, and quite frankly everyone bar us guys and the teachers pretty much ignore her – although the freshman still stare at her funny sometimes, I think she confuses them. Since Riven has a lighter schedule than the rest of us, considering how many classes he tested out of, like the stealth classes and stuff, they've been spending time together – apparently he taught her how to pick locks" (he held the picks he had led on a moment ago up as evidence) "- and I _know_ he's been teaching her how to steal from the kitchens, though she doesn't seem to be very good at it yet."

Helia nodded and added "last week when you and Brandon were stuck out overnight on assignment, she enlarged his bed and slept in our room. That's how he got those burns on his arms, she had a nightmare and he grabbed her to wake her up. Apparently" he continued dryly, "Fire faeries get hot when their scared." Sky laughed lightly, although his eyes were serious and he nodded his thanks at Helia for the information.

"Riven already knew that, she nearly toasted him last year when he snuck up behind her and yelled 'Boo'". Stella laughed.

"I remember that. I've never seen Riven move so fast to get out of the way of the fireball she tossed out of reflex."

"But they always fight?" Flora's quiet voice silenced their laughter.

"Riven just likes to fight sometimes – not in a nasty way, not to hurt people, but just because he finds it a great way to relieve stress, yelling insults at someone. And Bloom told me that she's a typical redhead, whatever that means, and that she enjoys a good screaming match on occasion too. Basically, they just play at fighting to relieve tension – think back, have they ever actually got into it for real while Riven wasn't under a spell, or when we were actually in danger?" Flora shook her head.

"If you think about it, it makes sense that the keeper of the Dragonfire is more temperamental than your average faerie. And Bloom's power certainly seems most dangerous when she's mad about something." Riven snorted from the doorway as Helia finished speaking.

"If you're finished dissecting her character, Bloom should be headed this way with afternoon tea soon." Sky sat up and glared lightly.

"You left her on her own?" Riven scowled.

"Relax goldilocks. Old Jones is on today, and you know he only catches us to make us sharper. If he does catch her, and he probably will, he'll just drag her back to the kitchen and give her extra food before sending her off." Sky nodded, scowling at the nickname, and relaxed back on the bed.

"If she's that bad a thief that she gets caught, why do you keep helping her, man?" Timmy asked from behind Riven, pushing him to one side so he could get in the door. Nabu followed quietly, clapping a hand to Riven's shoulder in greeting, before Riven relaxed back against the door jam.

"She's actually quite a good thief. She's patient and quiet, and only takes what she's there to, doesn't get distracted. The problem is" he sighed loudly and rolled his eyes as giggling echoed down the hall, "as soon as she starts leaving the scene, whether she has been caught or not, she starts giggling like a little girl and gives herself away." He moved further into the room to let Bloom and Brandon, who had caught up with her on her way back into the room as the rest of the room laughed.

"Room Service" she sang. "Tea, coffee, food and a hunk delivered to your door. What more could a girl ask for?" Bloom announced as she bounced through the door, handing Riven the basket full of food and drink and dropping on top of Sky on the bed. He grunted, pained, as she elbowed him in the stomach.

"Everyone is here, Bloom. You wanna tell us what's bothering you now?" She sighed, and Sky sat up with her and pulled her back onto his lap as the smile dropped off her face. Everyone else settled themselves around the room quietly, waiting.

"You all know I went to visit Daphne the other day?" All the boys bar Sky snorted.

"Of course we know, pixie. Sky was a chicken missing it's head yesterday afternoon." Riven spoke up.

"Yes, well" she smiled slightly, "despite Sky's overprotective tendencies, nothing happened to me. Daphne was telling me of her life before she died and was reborn as a nymph. Did anyone know that my sister was married?" She dropped her head onto Sky's shoulder, turning her face to his neck as everyone bar Riven, who she had told last night, shook their heads, shocked. "Well, she was, and her and her husband had a little boy the same age as me, Oritel II, when the witches attacked Sparx. She's been trying to find him for years, but her husband died on the planet, so she really has no idea where to look."

"So then that's where we come in." Techna spoke up from across the room. "After all, we have a much better chance of being successful than Daphne – she can't even speak to some people." Bloom nodded.

"That's what I said. Professor Avalon is working with Concarda in her library at the moment to see if they can find a way to track Dragonfire – after all, it's pretty unique these days. I thought maybe we could look the more old fashioned way – find planets that were allied with Sparx, check their histories. Maybe they have records of who made it off the planet?" Timmy frowned.

"Bloom, there's never been a record of anyone making off the planet, until you, and your departure wasn't exactly... conventional." Bloom nodded, sighing.

"I know, but... Daphne said there were ships trying to leave with children – maybe they made it off world, and wherever they landed kept it secret to keep them safe. After all, being a descendant of any family on Sparx would put you in danger." Everyone bar Techna and Timmy nodded, smiling.

"But why hasn't whoever saved the children come forward now that you are back? Wouldn't they know it was safe, now?" Sky sighed as Bloom turned her face back to his neck.

"Maybe you can check who should have been on the ship with the children, Bloom. Daphne should know that, at least, right?" She shot up.

"Daphne's husband was supposed to be on the ship – she was getting Ori to him to get him there, but she said... she said she found him dead, after trying to hold off the witches – what if the ship left without an adult on it while he was trying to stop them?" She held her breath as everyone considered it.

"That would explain why no one has come forward." Techna mused, slowly.

"One problem – wherever the ship landed, they had to have hidden the children somehow, and there aren't any prominent families that adopted children at about the same time as Sparx fell or we'd know about it, so chances are they were put in orphanages and adopted out to ordinary people. Finding where the ship landed will be difficult enough, but tracing your cousin, when he was probably surrounded by other kids, and completely unable to identify himself, isn't going to be simple." Riven spoke up from his corner of the room." Orphanages are fairly brutal, so they aren't going to remember, or at least they aren't going to admit to remembering specific children, and if the children weren't adopted, then they probably grew up fairly similar to me, meaning they'll be that much harder to find, and highly unlikely to remember or admit to much about their pasts. Sorry Bloom, but I think you may have to wait for Feathers on this one." Bloom nodded quietly, and turned into Sky's hug.

"Feathers?" Musa asked quietly from her place at the end of Brandon's bed, staring at her lap.

"He means Avalon. Riven likes to nickname people, generally with a derogatory term, though it's said with all possible affection, right buddy?" Brandon ducked behind Stella's long hair as Riven scowled at him.

"You have nicknames for all of us?" Flora asked from where she was still in Helia's lap, a light blush spreading over her cheeks as everyone turned to look at her. When Riven made it clear he wasn't going to answer, Brandon spoke up again.

"Yep, there's Blossom," he pointed at Flora, "Princess, Wires, Xanadu, or Xan for short, and Waves" he pointed to Stella, Techna, Musa and Layla in turn. "His nicknames for us lot" he gestured to the boys "are... less than complimentary, and about the only one we can use without getting our mouths scrubbed with soap is Goldilocks, although depending on what mood Riven's in, he sometimes gets Princess, too." he pointed at a scowling Sky. Everyone laughed.

"So that's why you've all been calling Sky goldilocks lately. Explains everything." Stella's happy voice sounded from Brandon's lap. "But what's Blooms nickname?"

"Depends on what kind of mood I'm in," Riven answered dryly, but before he could continue they heard Cordatorta bellowing for him. "Oh, great. In trouble again." He stalked from the room towards the voice, pulling the door closed behind him.

"Xanadu?" Musa asked.

"That's from an old Earth movie. See, he always calls you Muse, right?" Musa nodded. "Well, on Earth, a Muse is a term for someone or something that inspires an artist, and there was a movie about the world where Muses live, called Xanadu. Hence the name." Musa nodded.

"But how would anyone not from Earth figure that out?" Techna asked.

"They wouldn't. Riven primarily uses the nicknames when people are around so that no one knows who he's talking about. Some of them are easy to figure out, but only if you know us." Everyone nodded, and Bloom smiled.

"We still don't know your nicknames?" Layla asked.

"Generally he just calls me Pixie, because I'm the shortest of the Club, but like he said, it depends on what mood he's in." Sky nodded and sighed.

"I know what Riven said is true, but maybe we should look anyway? I mean, between us we have enough contacts to at least find out if the ship made it out of the planet's atmosphere, and from there we can narrow our search down. Then, if Avalon finds something, we can combine our knowledge and maybe make Ori easier to find?" Everyone nodded.

"That's a great idea. Location spells are normally really unspecific. They give you a general area, then you have to do the rest yourself." Flora spoke up.

"So it's settled then. We'll all reach out to our families," Sky indicated Musa, Stella, Layla and himself. "And try to find out about the ships. Bloom, Flora and Nabu should focus on helping Avalon, because they have the most experience with location spells." Everyone nodded.

"And what about the rest of us?" Riven asked from the doorway, where no one had noticed he'd reappeared.

"Well, Timmy and Techna should focus on location spells that are more specific – maybe once we have the spell to find the Dragonfire, they can give us a better guide from there?" Techna and Timmy nodded. Bloom then spoke up.

"And Riven, Brandon and Helia can help with the research on my family. After all, there have to be wedding pictures. Maybe we could figure out what Ori would look like. Besides, if you are right, Riven, we're going to need you to help us survive in the rougher parts of town while we look for Ori." Riven scoffed.

"No, you're going to need me to do the searching while you stay somewhere safe, cause those sparkly outfits stick out, firefly." She stuck her tongue out at him.

"So as long as I don't giggle or transform I'll fit right in with your help, right Spikes?" He face-palmed again.

"Remind me not to teach your girlfriend anything ever again, Princess." Riven ducked Sky's thrown book.


End file.
